NEW!

It has been good

Dear WWOOF Japan family, I have been WWOOFing in Japan since April, and as my time here comes to an end I just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity that WWOOF Japan made available. My partner and I have stayed with about seven hosts throughout Japan and really enjoyed every one of them. Each experience was so different and we met such a variety of people, each doing their own thing in order to live more sustainably. I feel like I am returning to Australia with so many new ideas of how to live life and communicate in a way that gets my ideas out there but without being dogmatic about it. One thing that did come to me was the amazing potential that such a network of willing people provides in terms of really reaching people and giving them the opportunity to find ways ot live more sustainably (if they decide thats what they want to do of course). The first host we went to, `our Japanese Mother`, runs a sake shop and grows her own organic rice for the sake. Alongside all the wonderful things she fits into her busy busy life she created a `mottainai corner` at her local onsen, where people can leave any useful things that they no longer need in this big box which is open for anyone to find and take. Its basically like recycle shop but without money exchange and formalities. She also bucketed the old bath water into the washing macchine to wash the clothes. Another host brought the one side used paper from his office photocopyer home for his daughters to draw on and use as scrap paper, as an alternative to buying new paper. WIth so many people in this network, Im sure there are so many great ideas out there of ways to waste less, buy less and create more. OF course not every idea will appeal to everyone, but if these ideas were at least accessable im sure many people would benefit - not to mention our Earth. Maybe a new section of this newsletter could be created, as a `share your ideas` section? Often in conversation I would tell one host about a great practice of another host, and they found it interesting and often inspiring. Especially as lots of hte hosts are very busy people I feel it would be empowering to hear of ways that like minded people find to live mroe sustainably and even ways of communicating their ideas to their communities. Even just one edition for sharing such ideas would be very beneficial i think. Saying all this, Im not the person doing such a great job of coordinating WWOOF Japan, so maybe its impractible in the context of all the work that communicaiton that you are already doing. BUt hey, I thought Id share the idea anyway. THank you agian for this opportunity. I return to Oz feeling like I have so many friends and family in Japan forever. Three peopel I met through wwoofing are coming to stay with me in OZ this year. Keep up the good work!(female, from Australia)